Another Bitten
by Aerilon452
Summary: Elena was the only known female werewolf, at least she was until Nick finds another in the woods of Stonehaven.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Elena thought she was the only female werewolf, until Nick finds another in the woods around Stonehaven.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of **BITTEN**

Rating: T+

**ANOTHER BITTEN:**

There was nothing more invigorating than a run. The smell of the forest, the decaying leaves, the sounds of nature. All of it soothed the wolves that lived at Stonehaven. Nick slipped out of the house to breathe in the midmorning air. His lungs filled to capacity, his ribs expanded taking in all the scents, and one stuck out at Nick. He reacted, gut instinct drove him to run full out through the trees towards the North West corner of the property. His feet carried him, jumping over logs, rounding bushes, and racing towards the gentle scent of a woman, but not just any woman. A werewolf. And it wasn't Elena. Faster and faster he ran being guided with the warm inviting scent of what shouldn't be a female werewolf.

The air was cool, making her skin break out in goose bumps. Verayne opened her eyes, blinking rapidly at the shards of sunlight cutting through the leaves. She was in a forest with leaves and twigs tangled in her hair. How did she get here? Verayne moved, aching all over with a pain she had never felt before. Gaining her feet she looked down at her body seeing she was naked, dirt smudged her skin. She took a deep breath, tried to get her bearings when a scent caught her attention. A man. He was coming right for her. What was she going to do? Should she run? Should she hide? Though, how could she hide when she was naked and in the middle of a forest. Instead of running, she stayed where she was and waited. Verayne wouldn't back down, wouldn't show submission or fear.

The last thing Nick expected to see was an actual woman, naked, and smelling like a wolf. A female werewolf was rare, Elena being the only survivor known to their kind, but now Nick was seeing evidence of another. She was tall, slender, dark flowing curly Chesnutt hair. Her eyes were a strange lavender flecked with gold that glowed in the sun. Nick was awestruck with her beauty and the gentle rose of her scent. "Who are you?" He asked holding up his hands to show that he's not threatening, that he wouldn't hurt her. "How did you get here?" Taking a step closer to her, he made the choice to introduce himself, "I'm Nick Sorentino."

Verayne looked at the man in front of her, the man who called himself Nick. She drew in a breath, scented something about him that seemed so familiar. Her eyes widen when she looked at him. "Why do you smell so familiar?" The knowledge wasn't enough to keep her on her feet. She was so tired, ready to crumble to her knees, but she was going to fight to stay awake, to stay standing.

"Because I'm like you." Nick answered taking another step towards her. She looked like she was about to collapse at any minute. When she wavered, he was there on instinct. He rushed to her, scooped her into his arms, and tried not to feel how warm she was or how good she felt against him. Turning around, Nick set off back to the house. Jeremy would need to know about the newest arrival in Bear Valley. "Don't worry, you're safe now." Nick whispered.

At Stonehaven Jeremy stood in the great room staring at the crackling fire when the front door opened bringing with it the scent of Nick and a woman. Whirling around, he saw the young Sorentino carrying another wolf, a woman not Elena. He arched his brow, "What is this?" But he shouldn't have asked. Jeremy doubted that Nick knew. "Where did you find her?"

"She was in the Northwest corner of the property." Nick answered going to the couch where he set the young wolf down on the couch and covered her with the fur blanket that rested along the back. "I stepped out back and caught her scent. Immediately set out to find her knowing that you would want to question her." Nick said suddenly reluctant to step away from her sleeping on the couch. "She didn't give me her name, so we'll have to wait until she wakes up."

"Go get Elena, and some clean clothes for our new guest." Jeremy touched Nick's shoulder, trying to get the still so young wolf to step from the woman. "Nick." He stressed his name, "Go find Elena."

Nick heeded the word of his alpha, reluctantly waking away. Before he had second thoughts, he ran up the stairs to the room Elena used for her photography studio. Knocking on the door, Nick called out, "Elena? Are you in there?" That was a supremely stupid question as Nick could scent Elena inside. Life at Stonehaven had just gotten normal again when this girl appeared. He just hoped that she wasn't a Trojan horse.

Elena rolled her eyes as she opened the door. "You know perfectly well that I'm in here. What it is…?" A scent caught her. "A woman?"

"Jeremy needs you to bring clothes down." Nick looked Elena up and down, like he usually did, "She looks about your size. Some of your workout clothes should be good enough." She pushed him away lightly with a smile. "Chop chop." Nick clapped earning him a glare from Elena.

Down stairs in the great room, Jeremy took the chair across from the couch where the woman slept in a fitful state. He saw the remnants of a bite on her left shoulder; a wolf bite. Elena had been lucky, but this woman was a miracle. Jeremy drew in her scent, smelling the newness of her. When she woke up he would ask her who bit her, if she knew at all, and he would be able to see if she had been driven mad from the change. From what he could see, she's changed before. Her muscles twitched and flexed under her skin. Her body was growing accustomed the new demands.

Verayne was coming out of it. She was waking up to warmth, to muted light, and she was on a couch that was soft and inviting. Even a fur blanket covered her, trapping the warmth of her body against her. The scents changed. She was inside, a different man was watching her; different from the one who had found her in the woods. With a little less pain she rolled over, rested on her left side to see a man with a beard, chin length hair, a crimson shirt, grey vest, and dark blue jeans sitting across from her. Verayne tried to speak but her throat was so try, it felt like a desert. "Water… please…" She gasped.

Jeremy smiled gently, handing her a half glass of water. "Swallow slowly." He advised. She took the glass with bother hands, shaking fiercely. "You're safe now. None of us will hurt you." She took a small sip, eyes closed, and a small moan escaping her. Jeremy scooted to the edge of the chair saying in a gentle fatherly tone that he used on Clay as a child, on Elena when she was first turned, "Can you tell me your name?" She looked at him, eyes darting to the open doorway. "I'm Jeremy Danvers."

Verayne didn't feel the need to lie or to bolt. That was a first for her. Nothing threatening. "I'm…" She paused to take another sip of water. Should she really do this? Should she tell him her name? Right now she was naked, in, what she assumed was his house, and she scented that he was like her. Or was she like him? "I'm Verayne Summers."

"It's nice to meet you." Jeremy smiled gently. "What brings you to Bear Valley?" He couldn't help but stare at her. She was a marvel to behold. A second female werewolf of their kind. Elena had survived making her one of a kind. Now, this woman, she was a miracle, and she was a fighter to have come this far.

"I don't know," Verayne answered. "I was running, and running, and running with nowhere to go." The last thing she could concretely remember about her two year tour of America was to constantly stay on the move while accommodating her new state of being. She had taught herself how to survive in the world as a wolf. She taught herself how to hide and how to hunt.

"How did you get bitten?" Jeremy asked needing to get down to the real questions. This girl ended up on their property, a werewolf, and seemingly vulnerable. But he sensed a strength inside of her that she had yet to tap into. He had a feeling that she was bitten by a mutt, but he was more than willing to make her pack. No wolf should be alone.

Verayne took another drink, taking a moment before she answered, "I was… ummm… out in the woods when I heard howling." She looked at him, he had an intent look upon his face as he listened to her. "I thought it was a dog so I kept moving and then…" Her hand went to her left shoulder, "and I… uhh… was in so much pain." Then she had fallen to the ground unconscious. When she had woken up, she was in dug out hole under the large root of a tree, and she was turning. The pain had been so much, too much that she had nearly gone insane, but she refused. Verayne fought tooth and nail, defied the universe. She let the pain take her, let it break her hones, and reform her body into the wolf that now resided inside of her.

"It's ok." Jeremy soothed. "You're safe now." He rose from the chair and went to her. "This is Stonehaven, a sanctuary for our kind." Cautiously he took a seat next to her. "You do know what you are?"

"Yes…" Verayne nodded. "A werewolf." She leaned forward, setting the glass gently on the table in front of her. Then, keeping the blanket close to her body, she angled towards Jeremy. "Where exactly am I?" Everything had been happening so fast, it was all a blur. She didn't know up from down, black from white.

"You're in New York State." Jeremy answered getting up from the couch when he heard Elena coming down the stairs. Then, the blonde stepped into the room with a friendly smile on her face. "This is Elena." He said.

Elena nodded to her Alpha and then moved towards the woman on the couch. "Hi." She held out the clothing with a smile, "Nick said you might need these." Offering the clothes, Elena drew in the woman's scent; newly turned and sane. Lavender eyes linked with hers, in them she saw the need for freedom but also the desire for safety, for family. Elena had had that look for years.

"Thank you." Verayne smiled gratefully. "No one's been this nice to me in a while." She accepted the clothes from the blonde and closed her eyes. There was such a calming atmosphere within the walls of this house that Verayne found herself feeling comfortable, able to answer their questions truthfully. It was odd to not feel the need to lie.

"How long have you been running?" Elena asked going to stand by Jeremy. It wasn't the place she wanted to be standing as she had yet to forgive him, but the girl needed space, and Elena would give that to her.

"Almost two years." Verayne replied making a move to stand up. The two in front of her turned around obviously used to nudity. A couple of years ago she would have been shy, self-conscious of how she looked, and then she had been bitten. All of her self-doubt vanished in a tidal force of new problems. Taking the black yoga pants, she stepped into them, pulling them up her long legs. They rested low on her hips, the cloth cold at first and then instantly warming to her higher temperature. She pulled on the sports bra, settling the cups in place, and then came the tank top in a gentle foam green. Now she felt better, steadier, and safer in her own skin.

Jeremy turned around, facing the new arrival, "And you survived all on your own?" He was shocked that a new wolf could do such a thing. Not even mutts survive very long out in the world. "Did anyone teach you to control your change, to stay hidden?"

"No, I sort of figured things out as I went along." Verayne shook her head dropping back down to the couch. It suddenly hit her. She had been alone, on her own. No one had been looking for her. Her hand flew to her heart like it would stop from the realization alone. "No one searched for me." The only person that had looked for her had been the one person she didn't want to find her.

The father in Jeremy kicked in. He sat back down beside her on the couch. Angling his body towards her, he slowly reached out pulling her into his arms. She latched onto him, burying her face in the crook of his neck. It was then that Jeremy felt hot tears against his neck. "It's ok," He soothed with his left hand cupping the back of her head and his right arm across her back. Jeremy just held her like any father would a sad child.

"I have nowhere to go and I…" Verayne pulled back looking at Jeremy, seeing the fatherly warmth in his eyes. "I think by being here I've put you in danger." She had to let them know what her situation was.

"We're used to it." Elena piped up. They had survived an attack by a mutt army, spearheaded by a psychotic ex pack member wanting to hurt them. "I think we can handle your danger."

"When I was bitten, I was previously kidnapped by a… uhhh…. He was a serial killer known for keeping his victims alive until they loved him and then he killed them." Verayne said pulling further back from Jeremy and huddling in the corner. "I should move on before…"

"No." Jeremy said firmly. "Elena's right, we've handled worse, and you're in no condition to keep running." The truth of it was, their pack was crippled, down to five when they had been seven. This young woman in front of him reminded him of Elena after she had been newly turned. If she was open to it, then he would offer her pack status.

"So, she's staying?"

Verayne looked up to see Nick standing in the doorway. She smiled at the sight of him. He had been the first one to find her, the first one, in a long while, to show her kindness. "I guess I am." She said and then looked back at Jeremy. "I don't know how to repay you for the…"

"There's no need." Nick spoke quickly moving away from the door. Then looking to Jeremy, the Alpha, he said, "Let me show you to a room where you'll be more comfortable." Giving consent the Alpha nodded letting Nick breathe a little easier. "You're getting the best bed in the house." He chuckled when she got up and took the hand he offered.

"Let me guess," Verayne teased, "It's yours." She didn't know where that had come from. Yesterday she had been frightened out of her mind, today she was flirting with a very cute man who happened to be a werewolf.

Nick winked at her, "Well, ok, second best." His heart seized in his chest when she smiled at him. Then she went froze, her body going alert. "What is it?"

"A car's coming up the driveway." Verayne spoke just as heavy footfalls came down the stairs. Another man, tall, shaggy hair, and a beard entered. He carried the scent from Elena all over him, and he wore a matching silver ring on his hand like she had on hers.

"Jeremy…" Clay had heard the rumbling of the Sherrif's vehicle and was on his way down to be at Jeremy's side, but when he came into the great room, he saw another woman, a wolf, and all thoughts of the Sheriff fled his mind. Looking to his Alpha he said. "A wolf and a woman?"

"Yes, Clay this Verayne. Nick found her this morning." Jeremy answered trying not to chuckle at the way his son had phrased his question and then glanced at Verayne as she stayed by Nick's side. "Verayne this is my son Clay." She smiled hesitantly still remaining glued to Nick who looked content to keep her close. Could it be that the constant party boy might finally settle down?

Verayne felt uncomfortable again. "Would you all please stop staring at me like I'm the Golden Fleece." She said with a touch of annoyance. Nick chuckled at her side draping his arm across her shoulders. The one called Clay actually cracked an amused smile at her. "What? Shocked I made a mythological reference."

"No, amused that you chose that reference, that's all." Clay shook his head, his bangs falling into his face. He stretched out his right arm and found Elena's side. Then he looked at his father. "Who are we going to say she is when the Sheriff gets here?" He asked just as the uninvited Sheriff knocked on the front door.

Jeremy sighed, tugged down the hem of his vest before he pulled into the place of reclusive Jeremy Danvers, the painter. Wrapping his hand around the knob, he twisted, and opened the door to greet the Sheriff. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Sheriff Morgan always felt strange coming up to Stonehaven. "I hate to keep coming out here like this Mr. Danvers, but we got a call about an abandoned vehicle on your property near one of the maintenance roads the County uses. One of my Deputy's checked it out and looked as if there was a struggle of some sort."

"That's my truck."

Jeremy turned to Verayne. She had an apologetic look on her face. "Ah," He nodded and on instinct he lied. "Forgive my daughter, she'll head right out move it immediately."

"I thought you only had your son?" Karen asked looking the young woman up and down. She certainly fit right in with the bunch of them. Her hair was a shade darker brown than Jeremy's, tanned skin, slender build, but only her eyes differed. They were an odd shade of lavender.

"I've been out of the country for a few years." Verayne moved from Nick's side and stood beside Jeremy. "I've only recently returned to the States. About my truck, it always looks like a crime scene inside, sometimes I can be a bit of a pack rat. I parked out there so I could explore the woods around the house, to just give myself a homecoming and so I could surprise the others."

"Where'd you return from?" The Sheriff asked not sure what was wrong. There was a sense of tension riding all of them.

"Central America." Verayne lied, partially. She had been there, then she had gotten word that her mother had died. Shortly after her mom's funeral she had been kidnaped. "I'm a field researcher attached to an archeology dig in the Central American Jungle. You can call my boss Dr. David Andrews in D.C. He was there as a favor to another archeologist who couldn't attend. "

"No, that's ok. I'm sure he's busy." Karen made a mental note to check into the Doctor when she returned to the station house. "What brought you back to Bear Valley?"

"The dig was winding down. Dr. Andrews had returned to the states a two years ago. I stayed on a little longer, but it proved a fruitless endeavor, so I returned and came home, but I drove just to enjoy the sight of America again." Verayne gave the Sheriff one of her dazzling smiles to really sell the lie of her relation to Jeremy. "Again, my apologies for leaving my truck where it didn't belong."

"Quite alright." Karen smiled at both of them. "Just don't leave it out there for too much longer." Then lightly she joked with Jeremy, "At least I didn't have to come out because there was a dead body."

Jeremy chuckled. "Yes, it's a nice change. Thank you for coming out here Sheriff." He grinned at her trying not to notice the way his heart beat a little faster. The Sheriff nodded, then turned and headed back to her. With a sigh of relief he shut the door looking at their newest pack member. "You lie well."

"I've always had a sincere face." Verayne replied. She tucked some of her hair behind her ear listening to the rumbling of the Sheriff's vehicle. "At least that answered the question as to where I left my truck. Last night was such a blur." Taking a deep breath, she moved away from the door, and then started to pace in a tight line. When she stopped and looked back to Jeremy, she continued talking. "Last night I remember being at the diner and then I thought I saw my kidnaper. I was stressed and frightened. I ran, got to my truck and drove out of town, but I got as far as the service road before my panic triggered the change." Verayne shrugged. "I didn't even know where I was driving. I just had to run."

"Here's what we'll do," Jeremy reached out to her, placed his hands on her shoulders getting her too look at him, "Nick will take you to get your truck and any belongings you have, bring you back here, lunch will be ready by then, and after that we'll all talk." She nodded her consent, waiting for him to take a step back. Then he added, "If you want it, you can be pack, you can have a home here."

"Thank you." Verayne let her face go soft, her eyes show him the gratitude she was feeling. Taking a step back, she glanced a Nick. He was smiling at her and showing her a set of keys. With one more look to Jeremy, he motioned they should go. So that's what they did.

Elena waited until the door shut and the engine to the silver SUV rumbled to life before she asked, "What are we thinking about her? Are you really going to make her pack?" She tried to keep her voice light, but there was concern behind her words. It wasn't for the danger the girl might pose, but for the trouble that followed her. "I could smell her fear when the Sheriff arrived."

Jeremy nodded, considered Elena's words. "For now, she'll stay here where we can look after her. It's a miracle she's managed to survive on her own without any training. And besides, it's better she is with us than her being out in the open for any other wolf out there. They would not be as concerned with her wellbeing as I know we will be." This time he looked at Elena as he spoke. "This girl needs the pack and I believe Nick is already taken with her."

"I believe it," Clay chimed in. "The look on his face is the same one I had on mine when I first met Elena." She glanced at him, gave him an eye roll that had him chuckling. "I could make a few calls, check out her story. Maybe you should put in a call to Jorge and get her cemented as a Danvers before the Sheriff can check up on that."

Jeremy nodded. "Good idea." He nodded. "I'll do that as I warm up the grill for lunch. Burgers sound good?" He asked and both Clay and Elena nodded. He left, turned down the hall that led to the kitchen as he pulled out his phone to make arrangements for the newest member of the pack.

Clay wrapped his arms around Elena sensing something was troubling her. "What's the matter darlin'?" He asked dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

"Her." Elena answered in a whisper. "I look at her and I see me. I see the fear I had months ago when the pack was in trouble."

"That's mostly over now," Clay assured holding her closer. "We can help her. We can show her what it's like to be in a pack."


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: Elena thought she was the only female werewolf, until Nick finds another in the woods around Stonehaven.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of **BITTEN**

Rating: T+

**ANOTHER BITTEN:**

Verayne sat in the front passenger seat next to Nick as he drove. "This place is beautiful." She said in awe. When she had been younger, living with her mother, she had lived out in the wide open farm country. It had been peaceful, filled with freedom. No restraints. Verayne had been able to breathe without too many people around. "I've just gotten here, but I feel at peace." She muttered looking at Nick. He spared her a glance, his eyes twinkling in the sun. Verayne felt a blush heat her cheeks. What was it about him that made her so… girly?

"Where did you use to live?" Nick asked, turning the wheel up a side road. It would be another few minutes before they reached the service road the Sheriff had mentioned. He wanted to take advantage of being alone with her. Right now, all he wanted to do was get to know her.

"Mountains of West Virginia." Verayne answered. "We had this house set in the middle of nowhere that was so comforting. After my mother died, I went back there, but the warmth was gone. So I left the house to my cousin and her kids." She sighed, "As far as I know, they still live there. I've cut my home town a wide berth just in case my serial killer/stalker is still there or in the surrounding area's looking for me."

Nick glanced at her, "I'm sorry about your mom." He took his right hand off the wheel, reached over and patted her shoulder. "I know how you feel, my dad died a few months ago." Nick sympathized. The gaping wound in his heart had yet to heal, and it may never. "I was with him when he… slipped away." From time to time he imagined that at any minute his father was going to walk through the front doors of Stonehaven with his briefcase and a smile, but then he would go into the kitchen and see the blood stain marring the wood of the table, and his hope fizzled.

Verayne placed her hand over Nick's on her shoulder. "I'm sorry too." Taking his hand, she kissed his knuckles in a comforting manner. The back of his hand was warm, his skin soft. She wanted to let her lips linger, but she hardly knew him. She let go of his hand just into for them to pull up by her SUV. Verayne had bought an out dated Tahoe from one of those dime a dozen car dealers, and she had been shocked to find the car still ran even with all the mileage she had put on it. Nick parked the car and allowed her to get out. The moment the air hit her, she pulled in all the scent that had been near her car; mainly animals and the Sheriff's Deputy. So far, she was safe. She opened the door and slid behind the wheel. The keys were in the center console. Verayne grabbed them, put the key in the ignition, and the Tahoe rumbled to life.

At Stonehaven, Jeremy ended the call on his cell phone. Jorge knew what he wanted to be done, and he would take care of it. That left the Alpha to finish preparing lunch for the family. Upstairs he could hear Clay and Elena making respective calls to verify Verayne's clever lie. From what he could hear, her story was checking out. Not that he was surprised. Jeremy had listened to Verayne's heart as she had conversed with the Sheriff, and the only time her heart jumped was when he had referred to her as his 'daughter' other than that, it remained steady. When Jeremy was speaking with Jorge, he had told the Lawyer to incorporate Jeremy's lie of paternal nature where he could once he was finished researching Verayne.

Upstairs, Clay ended his phone call satisfied with the information he found out on Verayne. He waited for Elena to finish her conversation. Knowing a few people in the archeological community, Clay had taken to calling a few of them in D.C to see what they knew about David Andrews and his research assistant. So far, those he spoke to knew her. And knew her work. They had asked Clay why he had an interest in her and he had replied that he was looking for a long term research assistant. Clay looked to Elena when she shoved her phone in her pocket. "So far, she wasn't lying about her work or who she worked for."

"That's good." Elena nodded. "I called a few of the wolves we know in the D.C area to ask about the Serial Killer, to see what they knew, and she wasn't lying about that either. The guy who had her, they called him the King of Hearts, not creative granted, but he would kidnap women, and hold them until they fell in love with him. Then he would kill them. The reporter I spoke with covered the story right up until Verayne was kidnapped. Most people assume he still has her because her body never showed up, but…"

"You think this psycho is still hunting her?" Clay asked turning his head towards the front door. He was straining his hearing listening for the sound of vehicles returning. The food coking in the kitchen smelled good and he was starving.

"Need I remind you of Thomas LeBlanc?" Elena asked sarcastically. "He was a serial killer and obsessed with me because I put up a fight. Verayne seems like a fighter. I mean she survived." Elena still couldn't believe that she wasn't the only female werewolf anymore. It was a relief.

"We better prepare for more dead bodies." Clay mentioned, this time hearing the rumbling of two big vehicles coming up the drive. One of them was Nick's SUV and the other had to belong to Verayne. Clay made a mental note to find a mechanic to give her SUV a once over. It didn't sound quite right to him. "Finally, now we can eat."

Elena chuckled going to Clay. She slid her arms around his waist and said, "Have I mentioned how good it is to be home despite everything that's happened?" Elena hadn't been back to her room since finding Phillips severed head on her bed. No, from night to night, she slept with Clay in his room. Just as she stood on her tip toes to kiss him the front doors opened.

"I always love the smell of burgers and the beginnings of sex in the afternoon!" Nick exclaimed coming inside. Behind him Verayne laughed, covering her mouth, but it did nothing to stifle the sound. Both Clay and Elena glared at him, only the glare didn't reach Elena's eyes. "What?" Nick smiled.

"Come on pup, its lunch time." Clay growled in his usual manner keeping Elena close as they walked through the great room and down the stairs to the kitchen where meals were taken at the long table. Burgers were piled on a platter along with various toppings. The sight of Jeremy at the grill was bitter sweet at best. When Antonio had been here, he had always been the cook in the house. Clay really missed that.

"Pup?" Nick scoffed. "Come on Clay, I'm not the youngest one here anymore." He turned and winked at Verayne and then reached out to take her hand. "After lunch we'll get you settled in a room." Nick was eager to eat and get her alone again. It was nice in the car, just them, and the sound of her heart beat thundering in his ears. There was this pull towards her that he couldn't understand. Nick had had his share of woman, and a few men too if he was of a mind and feeling ravenous for the touch of human flesh, but the moment he set eyes on her, for some reason all others paled in comparison.

"Food sounds great. I'm starving actually," Verayne placed her hand over her stomach feeling a rumble of agreement. She went willingly with Nick, her hand not leaving his. Her jaw dropped at the sight of the kitchen. "This place is amazing." Verayne whispered feeling stupid. Then she looked at Jeremy and he smiled. The feeling of being home settled over her again even though she had just arrived at this Sanctuary. There was just the hope that she hadn't brought her troubles with her.

Jeremy moved to the head of the table where his place was. He sat down, seeing Verayne taking her cues from Nick, the others sat down as well. They all took a few moments to load their plates. Then, showing their Alpha due deference, the others waited until Jeremy took the first bite and to give them leave to eat as well. Jeremy took that first bite, then nodded to the rest of his pack. Nick and Clay dug into their food with ruthless abandon while Verayne and Elena took their time fixing it the way they wanted. It was nice to have a full table, he only wished that Logan was here.

Verayne eyed the giant burger in front of her, starving, wanting to tear into it like Nick was doing to his beside her, but something kept her from lifting the juicy meat to her lips. What was it? Why wasn't she eating? Looking down at her left hand, she saw the neat slice she had gotten from her captor when she had ravenously attacked the food her finally remembered to give her. That was in the past. It was all behind her. In this house, there was no fear of vicious reprisal should she eat like the others. Taking the burger in her hands, Verayne inhaled, and then with a growl she tore into it quickly devouring bite after bite.

Clay wiped his mouth, "At least she has a healthy appetite." He commented reaching for another burger. Verayne looked at him as she chewed the mouthful she had giving him the chance to map her features. More than anything it was her eyes that stood out. The lovely lavender with glinting gold. No one had eyes like that, not anyone he's ever seen. And yet, Clay had the feeling that he had seen her somewhere before. Once, years ago, before he'd met Elena, he had been in D.C for an anthropology seminar. Was that where he had caught a glimpse of her? Before his next bite, Clay asked, "How long have you worked for Dr. Andrews?"

Verayne swallowed, took a drink of the soda in front of her, and then answered, "Seven years off and on. Normally he had me organize his notes, put them into Power Point presentations for his lectures. Organize his pictures into slide show wheels for him to load into the projector." She snatched another burger, "That's how it started out at least." This time she took her fork and cut the second burger into bites. The desperate hunger had abated with the first. "Then when I had to drop out of college. Dr. Andrews made me his research assistant allowing me to work from home."

"You had to drop out?" Jeremy asked this time.

"Yeah," Verayne sighed. "There were some money issues with a family member that stole from us." She admitted. "I'm well off now, but then, it was all we could do not to starve."

"I spoke to Dr. Andrews, or at least his secretary." Clay said after finishing his second burger. "He seems to think that you're still in Central America, having had gone back after your mother's funeral."

"That was my plan. There were still a few things that needed to be over seen at the dig, and well, I needed to get away." Verayne sighed. "I had left my cousin at the house and driven away when I stopped at a gas station, then that monster got me."

"Do you remember where he kidnaped you from?" Jeremy asked, sending a glance to Clay.

"A small gas station along I81." Verayne answered. "I don't remember much after that. My only hope is that my troubles haven't followed me here to this place."

Jeremy nodded, "Like Elena said, we can handle it." He smiled at her the way he smiled at Elena, or the way he had smiled at her. "We've taken steps to shore up the lie we told to the Sheriff today."

"I don't understand," Verayne said. "What does that mean?"

"We have a few friends that help with the lies we tell, making them into some form of the truth." Elena answered before taking another bite of her burger. One good thing about coming back to Stonehaven was that she didn't have to hide the amount of food she consumed for her rapid metabolism due to being a werewolf.

"Good to know." Verayne nodded. There was so much for her to learn from them. She was looking forward to the chance to stay in one place, to be with people like her, to just be still. Contentedly she ate while listening to the others idly chat about varying topics. This was nice, it was comforting. So much so that Verayne found a smile on her lips as she dined.

With the food finished, the dishes done, the wolves of Stonehaven returned to the great room. Nick reclined on the couch next to Elena who was nestled next to Clay. He couldn't help but to watch Verayne, the way she sat cross legged in the chair. Nick could see Jeremy gathering his thoughts, deciding which words he would use to tell her about the legacy of their kind. Staring at her, Nick knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help it. She was staring at him in return, just as hard. The look Verayne was giving him, it fired his blood, made his heart beat faster. Nick drew in a deep and steady breath. He didn't need to change from the fast pace beating of his heart.

Verayne grew tired of the silence. "Are there any other women here at Stonehaven?" She asked turning from Nick to look at Jeremy.

Jeremy nearly breathed a sigh of relief at her question. "No, you and Elena are the only female werewolves of our kind." He answered coming to sit on the edge of the chair with his hands clasped between his parted knees. Rather than looking at Verayne, Jeremy centered his gaze on Elena, "Five years ago, Elena was bitten. Normally that means a death sentence for anyone. Survival from a bite is very rare, and if someone does survive, they normally commit suicide after the first change. It was assumed that Elena would die during the change, or after. We never imagine what it would be like to have her as part of the pack." Jeremy said letting her see the truth of his words in his eyes. "Now, she's family, and the heart of this pack." This time, he stood up. "Only men carry the werewolf gene, some like myself and Nick were born this way. Clay was bitten as a child and survived." He turned to smile at Clay, glance to Elena, and then to Verayne. "You three are miracles to this pack. Survivors through and through."

Verayne's head pounded with this new information. "So Elena and I are literally the only two females in the werewolf world?" She looked to Elena for confirmation. The blonde smiled at her and nodded. "Oh, my god…" Bringing her knees up, she hugged them to her chest with all this knowledge swirling about her brain. "Then how did I survive?" She asked, never having questioned it before today. The moment my breathing increases, Nick is out of his seat and coming to crouch in front of me. His hands rested on my knees. "Why did I survive?" Verayne asked him in a whisper.

"You're a fighter." Nick said. "Just like Elena and Clay." Glancing at Jeremy, he leaned into Verayne and whispered, "You have a hardened will to keep on living. All wolves have that." She smiled at him, her breathing evening out. "Don't worry too much on being the second female wolf. Focus on being alive and in a place where people are like you and know how to help you when you need it."

Verayne looked at Jeremy, "If I stay, what happens to my life. Do I have to give up my job?"

"No, you leave nothing behind." Jeremy answered quickly sitting on the arm of the chair. "Clay is an anthropologist, with books published. Elena is a flourishing photographer. I'm a painter with a wide client base. Logan, he's away right now, is a psychiatrist, and Nick is…"

"I do whatever interests me." Nick replied with a chuckle staying where he was in front of Verayne.

"Good." Verayne breathed out. "Least I can do research from anywhere." Turning her head to Jeremy she asked, "What about my family? Can I still see them?"

"Yes, should you chose, but they can't know about what you are." Jeremy said, then added, "If they find out, it means death, because no one can know what we are."

"Good thing I have no problem lying to them." Verayne quipped. She wouldn't have any issues hiding this from her cousins, or her aunts and uncles. They barely spoke. She only kept in contact with her cousin because Grace lived in her house and paid the bills. Sometimes, between them, it was a text or a short phone call. Gathering her words, Verayne locked her gaze with Jeremy saying, "I would like to stay here and be part of the pack."

"Then we welcome you," Jeremy inclined his head. Nick moved out of the way and Verayne stood up. She stepped to him, her eyes never wavering from his. Jeremy pulled her close as any father would welcoming a daughter. "This is where you can start again, where you belong." Jeremy said lightly. "This is your home now."

"Thank you, Jeremy," Verayne leaned into him. He held her like a father did a child. She had seen this gesture many times before, but had never felt it until now. Verayne held on for a few more seconds, desperate to prolong the feeling of safety. Then, she pulled back to look at the others.

Elena came to her and did as Jeremy had done. She hugged the newest member tightly. It was good to have another woman around; a sister. Pulling back Elena promised, "The pack protects one another, and we'll protect you."

"I hope it doesn't come to that," Verayne muttered.

Clay replied, "Don't worry little one, you'll be safe here from anything that comes at you."

**LATER THAT EVENING:**

The hours slipped by until the sun was setting over Bear Valley. Driving into town, Markson Drake drove into the quaint little town. For two years he had been tracking Verayne Summers, the little bitch who had escaped him. HE needed to finish what he'd started with her. Her running from him had disrupted his carefully laid out plans. Every time he thought he had caught her, she had moved on. Markson was gaining on her though. Rather than her having a month's head start on him, he had tracked her down in a week. He'd tracked her to Bear Valley. Most of his victims had come from one location, spiraling out to neighborings towns, Verayne was the only one to escape him. He had to get her back and finish what he started before he could pick up a new project. That's what women were to him, project.

Pulling his car into the Bear Valley motor lodge he rented a room under a false name, then paid in cash. She had been here for a week. Just one week. Tonight he would walk around the town and get the lay of the land. Though, before he did that he would have to change his appearance again. Maybe dye his hair red, shave his beard off, and leave his hair down rather than keep it up. If he could, he might even pick up some contacts to change the color of his eyes. Markson had to be invisible, but not invisible. He wanted to seem alluring enough that people, women mostly, would talk to him freely without fear.

In his room, Markson headed straight for the bathroom where he gaged what changes he should make. His tumble of ice blonde hair had grown down to his shoulders. It wouldn't do for him to dye his hair red. He could leave it blonde and just shave off his beard. The last time had seen Verayne, his hair had been black and cropped short. Tying his hair back, Markson retrieved his scissors and his shaving kit. Right now he would trim and shave his beard off, later he would buy bleach and pour it down the drain to get rid of any trace of his DNA. For now, his priority was finding Verayne.

Back at Stonehaven the evening hours went by, Nick stood in the doorway to Elena's old room watching Verayne unpack her bags, putting her clothes away. He has spent the better part of the evening helping her move her belongings from her rundown Tahoe unto the house, up to Elena's vacated room. Shortly after finding her human's severed head in this room Elena moved out and started officially living in Clay's room with him leaving this room vacant. The smell of blood was gone, the linens changed, even the bed had been replaced. Now against the far wall was a dark cherry wood four poster bed with a crimson canopy rested. Black silk sheets, and matching comforter, adorned the bed. "I hope you'll be comfortable in here." Nick said at last stepping fully into the room.

Verayne had been wondering when he would take that final step inside the room. She turned to him, "Yeah, I think I be fine in here." Sighing, Verayne crossed her arms over her chest. "It's weird, I'm tired and yet so charged at the same time." She sat gingerly on the edge of the tortoise shell desk. "Is it always like this?" Verayne asked waiting for Nick's response.

Nick didn't answer her. Instead he crossed the room to her, gripping her shoulders and he turned her towards the open window where the crisp night air filled the room. He pulled her back against his chest, "Clear your mind and listen to everything the night has to offer." Nick muttered close to her left ear. "Hear the wind moving through the leaves of the trees." He growled gently. "Draw in a deep breath, smell the grass, the scent of the deer in the woods." His hands dropped down to rest on her stomach feeling the muscles quivering. "Let your mind wander, let it be calmed by this place."

Verayne listened to Nick feeling everything slow down for her. He was calming her, helping her to settle in. She had been in the constant state of fight/flight mode for so long that she didn't know how to be still. Nick was guiding her back to it, to a state of pure serenity. Verayne turned her face, her nose touched his jaw drawing in the clean fresh scent of his skin. He was wild to her, pure male that she found so alluring, but she had to put aside this attraction to him until she knew she was truly safe. There were so many unknowns around her, if something happened to Nick she would hate herself. Even as she knew this, he smelled too good to back away from. "Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" She asked quietly. With feeling of safety filing her, she was still afraid to fall asleep alone.

Nick kissed her forehead gently, "Anything you want." He answered. Taking her hand he guided her back to the bed, pulled back the covers, and waited for her slip under them. Her head hit the pillows with a smile from Nick as she pulled the black comforter back over her. He toed off his boots and then walked around to the left side of the bed where he settled himself down on his side facing her. "Nothing will happen while you're here." His voice was soft as he spoke to her. "Close your eyes and just listen to the sounds of Stonehaven. Let the woods calm you and help settle your mind." Nick continued to watch her as her eyes drifted shut, opened, only to close again. Each time she had more and more trouble opening them as the toll of the day weighed her down. She was in a safe place and already Nick felt so protective over her. Was this how Clay felt every day for Elena?


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: Elena thought she was the only female werewolf, until Nick finds another in the woods around Stonehaven.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of **BITTEN**

Rating: T+

**ANOTHER BITTEN:**

Morning came to Stonehaven with most of the wolves up and moving about. Verayne opened her eyes to see the last thing she expected. Sitting on the pillow where Nick had been was a stuffed black wolf with ice blue eyes. Tentatively she reached out to touch it, the pelt was soft, almost like real fur. Verayne pulled it towards her, hugging it close, inhaling Nick's scent all over it. Then her ears perked up, through Nick's scent she could smell bacon. Getting up, she left the wolf on the bed and changed clothes; jeans, a camisole, and sandals. She pulled her hair back into a messy pony tail and then headed down the wooden stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs Elena waited. She smiled up at Verayne with a pre-offered cup of coffee. "Good morning." She greeted. "Hope you slept well." She added watching the way Verayne smelled the coffee, taking along deep breath with her eyes closed, and allowing a little moan to escape her. Then she took a small sip, just a taste on the tongue. Elena wished she had her camera to memorialize such a face. It was the look of pure bliss.

Verayne wanted to answer Elena, but coffee had to come first. It was her main priority in the morning. Letting the first taste of caffeine dance on her tongue, she sighed again, and was better able to collect her thoughts. "I slept better than I thought I would." She admitted. "I didn't expect to wake up to a friend." Elena gave her a knowing smile, "You're idea?"

"Yeah," Elena nodded. "I could hear you tossing and turning after Nick left." Hearing her toss, muttering, and whimpering as if in pain, brought back memories for Elena.

"That's strange, I don't even remember if I dreamt last night." Verayne thought back. She was in bed, Nick was watching her, and she got so sleepy. Then the next thing she knew she was waking up to her stuffed wolf friend.

"If its ok, I want to ask you if you remember anything about the man that took you," Elena didn't want to cause her pain, but they needed a heads up for whatever would be coming their way. "I don't want to make you relive it…"

"No," Verayne shook her head, taking another sip of coffee. "No, it's alright." She added but then her stomach rumbled. "After breakfast I'll try and tell you what I remember." Even as she and Elena joined the men for breakfast she was trying to recall all she could about her time as a captive. There were bits and pieces locked in her mind, pieces that she couldn't see very clearly. All of it bubbled and collided in her mind, too much of it tried to come to the surface.

Nick sat next to Verayne watching as she zoned out while eating. He could see that she was somewhere else, he could only hope that it was a pleasant place and not memories of her captivity, or being alone while learning how to be a werewolf. Under the table, he placed his hand on her right knee, giving her a little squeeze to try and bring her out of him. Nick smiled when she looked at him. "You ok?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm ok…" Verayne took a bite of bacon. "Just still adjusting." She smiled. "So much peace in such a short amount of time. It's just…"

"Over whelming." Jeremy nodded.

"Yes." Verayne confirmed with a nod. "I don't know what to do."

"You do nothing," Clay said before shoving a piece of bacon in his mouth.

"At least for right now," Elena clarified. "Once you settle in, we'll teach you a few things, like how to fight and how to hunt with the pack." She tried not to roll her eyes and shake her head in Clay's direction.

"Oh," Verayne half sighed and half laughed. "Right, sorry…"

Nick squeezed her knee again, "Don't be. You just need a good long while to let this all sink in. You're safe here." Then, looking to Jeremy, Nick suggested, "How about we take her into town and let her get the lay of the land?"

**TWO YEARS AGO:**

Verayne had just left her cousin, and the kids, in the house. She would be heading back to Central America soon, her cousin still needed time to find work, to find a place to live, so having her family remain in the house was beneficial to both of them. Next she had to drive to college to see Braidon, to break up with him. The long distance didn't work for her, and she hated to have to break his heart, but she needed to let him go. Verayne was always going to be jumping from project to project and leaving the country at a moment's notice. That was no life for Braidon. He was still a home body. She was so much more than that.

Getting behind the wheel of her car she drove down her drive way going over different ways to break the heart of a good man. She had to be some sort of monster for that. Verayne pulled out onto the main road, dialing down the volume of the radio she started to practice what she would say. "Braidon, I know we haven't had the easiest time lately." She shook her head and started again. "Braidon, I'm going back to Central America." Verayne paused, changed lanes. She had forgotten to get gas. The next exit she would have to stop and get some fuel.

Within an hour she had pulled into a small gas mart. There was something bugging Verayne about where she was, there were no cameras, no outside lighting, and something was tugging at her intuition. There was danger in the encroaching dark. If she didn't leave soon, then she had the feeling that the night would swallow her whole. The gas nozzle clicked, her car was filled up. She replaced the nozzle, replaced the gas cap, and closed the cover when she heard shoes on the pavement. Verayne's heart leapt in her chest but she forced herself to remain calm, to appear docile as she made a move back to the driver's seat of her car. Unfortunately she didn't get that far. Someone was behind her, a cloth coming over her mouth, and then blackness took her.

**PRESENT:**

Verayne rebounded from the table. She went to the floor crawling back until her back hit the stone wall. Her breathing came faster and faster as the night of her abduction hit her. Panic gripped her throat. She didn't know what was going to happen next. Then, Nick was in front of her, his hands coming to her upper arms. He was saying something to her, but there was this horrible ringing in her eyes. She could hardly hear him. Her vision went from normal to tinted blue and yellow, her heart was beating out of control. Soon she would shift, but she couldn't let that happen. Verayne centered her gaze on Nick fighting to slow her breathing which would help in slowing her heart beat.

Nick had only a second to react to Verayne's sudden movement from the able. Everyone went on edge watching her. He followed her, crouched in front of her saying, "Calm down," Nick reached out placing his hands on her upper arms hoping that he touch would sooth her. "Slow your breathing." He repeated over and over again. Verayne stared at him as if she could hardly hear him. So he did the only thing left to him. Pulling her close, he once more picked her up and let his scent, his body, let everything about him work to calm her. "Its ok, whatever it is, it's going to be ok." He reassured her and then sighed when felt could hear her heart slowing down.

Verayne held tight to Nick a few more moments, until she was sure that her heart would stay at a normal pace. She breathed him in, took comfort in the scent of him, of the others in the room. In this room she could feel the security of the pack. It was a strange feeling, and yet it did wonders to calm her, to keep her from shifting. When she was certain that she wouldn't freak out or shift, she slipped from Nick's grasp noticing that he was hesitant to let her go. Stepping back she looked to Jeremy saying, "I'm sorry for…"

Jeremy came to Verayne, touched her shoulder, "You did nothing wrong. All of us here have nearly shifted a time or without warning." Then he took a step back to give her space, as well as signaling to Nick that he should do the same thing. "Was it a memory of the man who kidnapped you?" He asked returning to his place at the head of the table. Clay and Elena followed suit while Nick and Verayne remained standing.

Verayne held Nick's gaze, "It was of the night I was kidnapped. Something made me think about what happened." She took a few more steadying breaths before resuming her place at the table where her plate waited with food still on it. Sadly, as she was still hungry, the sight of the food only served to turn her stomach. Reluctantly she pushed her plate away before she covered her mouth with her right hand. "I was suddenly back there that night. Something put me on edge and yet, still I stopped at that creepy gas mart to fuel up when I could have driven for a few more hours." Her voice wavered. "I was so stupid…"

"What happened to you," Elena said feeling sympathy for her. "It could have happened to anyone." The young woman looked at her with tears in her eyes. "But you survived, you have to hold on to that." Elena spoke from experience after living this life for so long. "All that's happened to you has served to bring you here, to this moment, to this place where you can heal the wounds of your captivity." Reaching out across the table, Elena set her hand on top of Verayne giving her a comforting squeeze.

"I just…" Verayne shrugged. "My life is in a place I never thought it would be." Turning over her hand, Verayne held tight to Elena's. "I just don't understand why it was me. What was it about me that attracted that psycho?" She scoffed shaking her head. "When I was in that place, I never let him twist my mind." Verayne held her left hand up to show the healed scar across her palm. "I bided my time until I could escape, only to be bitten."

"I know how you feel." Elena said, squeezing her hand again before withdrawing. "I know we keep saying this, but it's true. You're home now and you're safe."

"I feel safe." Verayne nodded and then looked to Jeremy. "I remembered something that I didn't before. There was this sickly sweet smell the reached me before the cloth came over my mouth." She was trying to remember exactly what it was that she smelled. "It smelled like someone had mixed a batch of cherries and oranges together in a blender and then left it out in the sun."

"Lovely imagery." Nick remarked lightly resting his hand on her back moving it in small circles to try and calm her even more.

"It's just the best I have to describe it." Verayne shrugged. "That's all I can think of." She was trying her best to remember more, to give them some sort of idea of what to expect, but that time had been so traumatic for her that her mind locked some of the memories away.

"That's a good start." Jeremy reached out and patted Verayne's hand. He could see she was struggling to remember, to relive the horror she had survived. "We're not going to push you to remember."

**AFTERNOON:**

The afternoon came with the Pack venturing into the small town of Bear Valley. Jeremy was still concerned that the townspeople were still more than a little angry with them over the murders that had occurred a few months ago, but the Alpha knew Nick was right. They had to get Verayne out of Stonehaven and show her around the town that was going to be her home. Clay and Elena had split from them to go to the Post Office as Elena was expecting a shipment of photography supplies. Jeremy watched, assessed the people they passed on the street while carrying on the light conversation with Nick and Verayne. He still wasn't sure what had possessed him to claim her as his child. There was just something so familiar about her.

Verayne tried not to notice the way people stared at them. She was too busy looking at the quaint little town, enjoying the feeling of simplicity. This was small town life; it was comfortable, even with the suspiciousness coming off the other people. Nick had kept his left arm draped across her shoulders. Verayne found that she hadn't minded being held close to his side. Next to her, Jeremy was giving her a brief overview of the town, and explaining why people weren't fans of the Danvers name, or of Stonehaven, even though the werewolf residents had been in the town almost as long as the humans. "So, now that I carry the name Danvers, people aren't going to like me?" She asked with a laugh. "Oh well," Verayne shrugged wrapping her arms around Nick's waist. Looking up the street, drawn by the scent of hamburgers, she saw a man coming out of the diner. It was a face she thought she wouldn't have ever seen again. She stopped dead in her tracks.

Nick reacted to Verayne's sudden shift in mood. Following her gaze he looked to where she was looking and saw a man in blue jeans and a black t-shirt immerge from the diner with a few other men. None of them were local. Reacting on instinct, Nick pulled Verayne behind him asking, "Is that…?" but she didn't let him finish.

"No," Verayne breathed out, shaking herself out of her shock. "That would be Braidon, the almost ex-boyfriend I was on my way to break up with before I was kidnapped by a psycho." She explained. Her grip tightened on Nick's arm when Braidon turned, his eyes falling on her. She knew he would recognize her any minute.

"We can leave if you would like," Jeremy offered keeping his eye on the young man up the street. If Verayne was stressed, then she would trigger of shift. He couldn't let that happen, though is this morning was any indicator, she, like Elena, might be able to control when the shift happens.

"It's ok," Verayne shook her head. "He's already seen me." Turning her attention to Nick saying "And it's better to get this out of the way now, then have him somehow turn up at Stonehaven later." She knew that wasn't what Jeremy had meant. Either way she wanted to keep both of them close, needed them to keep her grounded, and most of all she needed them to help her stay home.

Braidon had been with his friends as they took back roads in their journey to Canada. They just wanted to see small towns, and Bear Valley was just such a town. From here they would head up to Toronto for little while, then they would drive along the border to see the rapidly fading beauty of the US. Braidon had just finished having lunch at a diner when he walked outside to see the last person he would have expected to see. "Verayne?" He mouthed her name seeing her standing between two men. Without thinking, his feet carried him up the street until he was standing before her. "How are you alive?"

Verayne took a step back to collect her thoughts and try to find the best way to answer Braidon. He was in shock, she knew that, and she knew that nothing she could say would make anything better. "I... uh…" She took another breath and tried again. Truth was the best for right now. "When I escaped from the man who kidnapped me, I just kept running as far and as fast as I could until I ended up here." Ok, so she added a little bit of a lie.

"Were you ever going to call me?" Braidon shouted unintentionally. Verayne was standing before him, calm and collected, while he was reeling from inside out at seeing her alive and in the arms of another man. "I thought you were dead!" this time he gripped her arms half in disbelief and half in anger. When the man beside her glared at him he let go and stepped back.

Verayne bit her bottom lip. This was the part she was dreading the most. "No, Braidon, I wasn't. That night I was driving to D.C to meet you, to break up with you." She held up her hand to stop him from speaking, "Before you start, I was going back to Central America for two more years."

"You promised you were finished down there." Braidon snapped.

"Well, I lied!" Verayne shouted and then clamped down on her temper. Anger was the shortest distance to travel to trigger a change. "I loved my work more than I wanted to be with you."

"How can you say that to me?" Braidon was at a loss. They had been together through High school and through college until she had to drop out to work for her Archeology professor before could no longer pay tuition.

"I changed." Verayne answered knowing that was a loaded statement. In the two years she had been roaming the United States she had learned more about herself than she could have ever imagined.

"Yeah, apparently you did." Braidon sighed, "And I was a fool to think you ever loved me." He turned and walked away from her. Some small part of him wanted her to come after him to tell him that he was wrong, that she still cared. When he didn't hear her pursuit he increased his pace and returned to his friends.

Verayne knew he was doing this to make her run after him, but she didn't. She took Nick's hand to keep her from even thinking about going after a man she had let go of two years ago. "That was awkward." Verayne whispered shaking her head.

"You're not going to go after him?" Jeremy asked watching the young man walk away to rejoin his friends.

"No," Verayne replied. "Why give him hope where none exists?" She looked at her Alpha asking him a question her mother had asked once. There was a spark in Jeremy's eyes, some recognition at her words. "What?"

"Nothing," Jeremy smiled shaking his head. He had no answer to give her, as he couldn't remember where he had heard those words before, but he knew that he had.

From across the street, Markson watched the encounter unfold between the three men and his sweet soon to be victim. It took all he had not to go down there, tempt fate, and walk right by her to see if she truly remembered him. He wanted her to remember. He wanted to see that sweet rush of horror wash over her as her mind connected his face to her past. Knowing better than to rush into anything Markson waited, watched, and studied the two men near her. He would have to discreetly ask around about them, but the way he had seen people react to them; she had aligned herself with people not very well liked in the community. Slowly, he ducked down the alley just as a tall man and a blonde woman walked by. There was planning that had to be done.

Clay carried the boxes Elena had gotten from the post office when a smell reached his nose. Not reacting to it, he looked to Elena to silently as her if she scented the same thing. When she nodded to him, they crossed the street towards Jeremy, Nick, and Verayne. "Jeremy, we should head back to Stonehaven." Clay muttered close to his alpha's ear.

"Why?" Verayne asked. Something wasn't right, she could tell. It was there in the tone of Clay's voice. "What's happened?"

"That scent you told us about," Elena answered. "We caught it coming down the street from the post office." Reaching out, she took Verayne's hand. "We won't let him get to you."

"Back to the car," Jeremy drew in the air, smelled the scent that Verayne had described to them that morning.

**STONEHAVEN:**

Nick was first out of the car when he saw Jorge waiting patiently by the door. "Jorge, what're you doing here?"

"Sorry Nick, I have to speak with Jeremy regarding the newest member of the pack." Jorge answered picking up his briefcase when he saw Jeremy come up beside the young Sorrentine. To Jeremy he said, "I wouldn't have come here unless it was important."

Jeremy held up his hand and nodded, "I know Jorge." Then he went to the front doors, opening them to invite the lawyer inside. "We'll talk in my studio." He spared a glance to Nick signaling him to get Verayne away from the house. Nick indicated that he understood leaving Jeremy to show Jorge up the stairs and down the long hall to where Jeremy had his art studio.

"What's that all about?" Verayne asked when nick took her hand leading her away from the front doors and to the side yard. Nick didn't answer her; he just continued to lead her into the trees until they were a good distance from everyone. "Nick?" She didn't like that he wasn't answering her. "Hey!" Verayne jerked her hand from his grasp. "Will you tell me what's going on?"

Nick stopped as they were far enough from the house. For Jorge to show up it was plenty serious that a phone call wouldn't cut it. What was it that they could have learned about her? What hadn't she told them? So instead he changed the topic, "That guy, tell me about him." He turned and sat on a tree stump.

Verayne crossed her arms over her chest, "Really? That's why you brought me out here, to talk about my ex?" She laughed going to him where she became bold. Resting her hands on his shoulders, Verayne sat astride Nick smiling wickedly at him. In response his hand cupped her backside holding her closely to him. "Well, if you must know, I met him in high school. I foolishly thought I could be an actor so I did drama class." She shook her head at the memory. "The theatre teacher decided to do a production of The Swan Princess."

Nick chuckled and Verayne poked him in the chest. "Sorry," he composed his features to appear apologetic. "Do go on." Nick was trying to set aside the fact Verayne was sitting astride his lap, her center pressed tightly to his substantial manhood. He was trying so hard not to react to her. "How did you two meet?"

Verayne chuckled, "We actually met doing The Swan Princess. I was cast as Odette and he was Prince Derek." She flushed a little. "It's so ridiculous now that I think about it." Sighing, Verayne touched her forehead to Nick's. "He was so charming and sweet and at the time that's what I thought I wanted. We stayed together all through college until I had to drop out. Now that I've had a taste of the world my needs have changed."

"What do you want now?" Nick asked his lips dangerously close to hers. For the last few months his life had been turned upside down and inside out. Now, with her in his arms, something had stabilized for him. It was as if time could finally turn normally once more for him. Nick never wanted to let go of that feeling. He knew that if Verayne was harmed he would kill to protect her.

Inside Stonehaven Jeremy changed his mind on where to meet with Jorge. The alpha leaned against his desk while Clay and Elena took their place on the couch opposite the visiting wolf. "Tell me what you found out about her."

Jorge opened his briefcase to pull out a file he'd compiled on the newest pack member. "She is the sole surviving child of one Ariadne Stavros, who was the child of Erika and Spiradon Stavros from Greece. They were powerful people in Europe, until Ariadne came to the states to life with her American relatives." Jorge flipped a few pages. "When she was in the states she lived in New York, in an apartment in the east village while working in a small gallery. She lived under name…"

"Ariel Lycos." Jeremy answered. Getting up from the edge of his desk, he crossed to the window barely making out the form of Nick and Verayne in the woods. "It was April 1986," He turned to Jorge, who nodded confirmation. "I met Ariel at the gallery I started selling my paintings to. One day she was there, behind the counter, and I was hooked." He sighed trying not to get bogged down in the memory of her. Even years later he could still see Ariel from the very first moment he's met her. The first time they kissed. He could still recall eh sound of her heart the first time he'd made love to her. "A couple months later she was gone."

Jorge spoke up then, "I was able to track her to a small town in West Virginia where she used the name Ariel Summers. A little while after she arrived she gave birth to Verayne Summers leaving the paternity as UNKNOWN, became an art history teacher at the local college, and passed away from cancer two years ago." The last bit left a sour taste in his mouth as he had known a human relative of his that had died of the same disease.

"Financial situation?" Jeremy tried to remain detached while his mind reeled from the bomb just dropped in his lap. Verayne was his daughter. His math could be bad sometimes, but not about this. She was the right age to be his child. She had many of his facial features, his curve of the mouth, the color of his hair, and now that he was thinking about it, her scent carried a familiar tie to him.

"Her grandparents are deceased and in their will they left a large trust to Verayne, only accessible upon her twenty-fifth birthday." Jorge flicked through a few more papers. "Right now, she's financially well off."

"How well off?" Jeremy asked turning to give his full attention once more.

"Sorrentino well off." Jorge replied. He got up noticing the way Clay and Elena got up as well. Going to Jeremy's desk, he left the file on the Alpha's desk. "Again, I am truly sorry I had to come here in person, but…"

"No, no," Jeremy waved the apology away. "I would've wanted to hear this in person. Thank you Jorge." He had a moment where he wanted to grab the file, to devour word after word about her life, but he resisted. "I have a daughter…" The knowledge didn't quite fit in his mind. "All this time, I have a daughter."

"Jeremy?" Elena asked. The news that Verayne was his flesh and blood had to be shaking Jeremy to his very core. That was enough for Elena to set aside her difference with him, to want to go to him and to try and comfort him.

"I need a minute to make this fit." Jeremy looked over his shoulder at Elena. For a moment she looked at him as he used to. "How do I tell her any of this?" He asked looking once more out the window hoping the serenity of Stonehaven would provide him with an answer.

Back outside, Verayne remained in Nick's arms. "I want someone who is wild, someone who isn't afraid to fight with me, to seduce me, to make me scream." She purred letting her lips touch his as she spoke. Her hands moved up cupping the back of his head. Angling her head to the side, Verayne said, "I want you."

"I want you too," Nick replied. "I've only known you for hours and I don't want to think about ever leaving you." He didn't know why it was her, why she was the one to make him cat all thoughts of other women aside. Was it because she was a wolf? Nick didn't know but he was eager to find out. For right now, he wanted nothing but the taste of her. Quickly before she could change her mind, Nick kissed her hard and fast. Making sure to keep her in his arms, Nick left the tree stump and stretched out on the ground with Verayne under him.

Verayne locked her legs around Nick, letting him have control of the kiss. She let him think that she was giving in, letting him be on top. Once she sensed that he was comfortable, Verayne rolled them until she was on top, her hands planted on the ground on either side of Nick's head. Breaking the kiss for a moment, she winked at him. That was a mistake. Nick reversed them until she was face down, and he was stretched out along her back with his hard length pressed in tight against her. Verayne gasped as she angled her head to look at him over her shoulder.

Nick kissed her again while his hands wrapped around her wrists to keep her where she was. The mixture of her rising arousal and the scent of the woods had the wolf in Nick growling in desired delight. His hips moved, grinding against her, making her burn brighter from his touch and his alone. Reluctantly he broke the kiss to drag in oxygen and when he did she bucked him off, got to her feet, winked at him, and took off running. The thrill of the hunt was what a wolf liked the most. Nick got up and tore off after her.


	4. Chapter 4

Summary: Elena thought she was the only female werewolf, until Nick finds another in the woods around Stonehaven.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of **BITTEN**

Rating: T+

**ANOTHER BITTEN:**

Verayne ran through the trees, zigzagging all over the place, then letting her body take control, she used a tree stump as a launched pad to jump up into the trees. For a nanosecond she tried to catch her breath, but the thrill of the run, the thrill of being chased by Nick had her adrenaline pumping. She could feel everything; the whispering air through the leaves of the threes, the scent of wild game, and Nick. Verayne could hear his heart; hear the sound of her pursuit. Turning, gauging the distance, Verayne jumped to another tree, another branch, and then moved up higher continuing the chase for Nick. She was careful as she moved through the branches, taking her time with each step so she didn't tumble to the ground below and break something. Taking another pause, she pressed herself tight against the trunk of the tree and listened for the sound of Nick's pursuit, but she heard nothing. Verayne chose that moment to catch her breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth, she calmed her galloping heartbeat.

Down below, Nick skidded to a halt. He looked around and then he looked up. "Clever clever." He snickered looking around to figure out how she had gotten so high up into the trees. Going to the tree stump, Nick could remember when he and Clay had to take the tree down. She used the stump as foothold to help give her the right leverage to shoot her up into the tree. With her strength and speed it was easy. In fact, he had used this to escape Clay a time or two. If she kept moving the she would reach the edge of the property line in no time. Being on the ground, with his speed, he could beat her there is he ran full out and in wolf form. Stripping out of his shirt, out of his pants, kicking off his shoes Nick crouched down, took a few calming breaths, and then reached for his wolf. For a few seconds nothing happened and then the wave of intense pain crashed into him. His bones broke, reshaped, tendons snapped and reformed, and his body contorted painfully taking him from human to a full sized wolf.

Verayne was about to move when her ears perked up after hearing the faint cries of someone in pain. The voice belonged to Nick. Then the scent on the air changed, it wasn't human anymore, it was wolf. Nick had changed, which meant that he needed to beat her somewhere. Could it be she was coming to the edge of the property? From her vantage point she couldn't see the ground, she had climbed higher than she had expected. Slowly she moved away from the trunk of the tree and then sat down. Carefully she twisted, controlling her body as she lowered herself down to the next branch. Dropping down gracefully, she repeated the process until she was close enough to the ground while still be camouflaged by the leaves. Verayne stretched out on her belly along the branch trying to see if Nick had caught up with her. At first she saw nothing; she saw curious eyes staring at her from behind some brush. She knew it was Nick. Did she dare drop to the ground and run for it? Would she make it? There was only one way to find out. Pulling herself back up into the branches, she moved to another tree.

**STONEHAVEN:**

Jeremy stood alone be the window in the great room. Clay stayed on the couch while Elena stood next to him. He had no idea what he would say to Verayne, how he would react when she came back to the house. She was his child, a werewolf; his daughter was a werewolf. Jeremy just couldn't wrap his head around it. Ariel, Ariadne, he fired his blood and calmed his wolf when no one else could. When he was with her, she made him feel stable despite the battle being waged between him and his father. "How do I tell her?' turning, Jeremy looked to Elena hoping she might provide him with an answer.

"You just tell her Jeremy," Elena answered reaching out to place her hand on his shoulder. "You don't know what her mother told her about her father. For all you know Verayne has many questions about you." Then she backed away and went back to sit with Clay on the couch. She heard Jeremy sigh and turn back to look out the window. Elena could feel his confusion. Until now, the only child Jeremy had ever raised was Clay. All other thoughts of children never occurred to him, but now he was conflicted with the knowledge that he had a daughter. Resting her head on Clay's shoulder, "What do you think about this, about her?"

"I don't know," Clay answered resting his head lightly atop Elena's. He wasn't sure what he was feeling in regards to the newest member of the pack. At least he knew why she seemed so familiar. Verayne had Jeremy's features, and still carried a familial scent linking her to him. "All I know darlin' is that it's nice to have another wolf at Stonehaven."

"She certainly has taken to Nick," Elena joked resting her hand on Clay's thigh.

"More like Nick's been taken by her." Clay replied chuckling.

Back outside, Verayne took a chance when she dropped to the ground. She only had a moment to register the pain from the impact before she was off and running. The feeling of pursuit spurred her on, this time it was different. This was for play, not for her life. Behind her, nipping at her heels, growling, Nick gained on her. She leapt over downed tree limbs, raced around a rock, but that only gave wolf Nick more of a chance to close the distance between them. Verayne glanced back, a huge mistake, making her stumble. Going down, she rolled and was face to face with him. Her heart leapt in her throat with a startled gasp. "You win." She chuckled seeing the smugness in his wolf eyes.

Nick leaned in, resting the top of his head to her cheek before backing away. He felt his muscles twitching, body alive with the sensations of a run in wolf form, and then the shift happened. Even though he knew what was coming, the pain was still a tidal force. At first his groans of discomfort came from his wolf vocal cords, then, as he shifted back to a human form the sounds were more audible. Standing up, he stretched, groaned, and then said, "That was fun." Verayne looked him up and down with Nick finding it enjoyable to have her eyes on him. He'd had plenty of woman stare at him in desire, but she mapped everything about him. Her eyes were a velvety caress that he never wanted stopped.

"That was fun," Verayne stood up going to Nick. She knew she should be ashamed for marveling at him in such a manner, but she didn't. He was gorgeous, tall and lean, and had perfect skin that she wanted to lick from head to toe. Reaching for her, Nick gripped her hips and pulled her flush against him. Verayne couldn't help but to moan and lick her suddenly dry lips. She slipped her arms over his warm shoulders and was about to move in for another kiss when Nick moved first. He picked her up, pinned her to the trunk of a tree, and his mouth ravishing her. She tried to focus to try and take control of the kiss, but as quickly as he kissed her, he pulled back. Verayne gasped.

"We should head back to the house." Nick muttered despite the loss of breath in his lungs. He had to kiss her again, just had to feel her pressed against him. "We're almost to the edge of the property line. If we go any further in that direction, we'll hit public hunting lands and Jeremy would have our ass if we strayed from our own territory." He chuckled taking her hand to lead her back to where he'd discarded his clothes. "For only being a wolf for two years, you move amazingly well." Nick praised. Not even Elena moved the way Verayne moved through the trees.

"Thanks," Verayne blushed from his praise and from the heated kiss they had just shared a moment ago. "I've had a lot of practice at running." She informed dropping his hand to move around a tree that came between them. "At nights, when I was finally able to settle in a place longer for than two days I would change and just run until I passed out under the night sky." Verayne took Nick's hand as she sighed. "I love running. I love scenting the air. I love hunting." She sighed.

Nick pulled Verayne closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "You'll get all the running your heart desires here and when you hunt with the Pack, you will never want to be without us ever again. The energy from it is amazing." He laughed before pulling away. They had gotten back to where he'd stripped out of his clothes. It would be better if Nick was clothed when they walked into Stonehaven. He picked up his pants, pulled them on, and buttoned them. Then he gathered up the rest of his clothes.

"Are you comfortable walking around without clothes?" Verayne asked genuinely curious. She knew that before she had been bitten she'd had body image issues, but after, when she would change, and then wake up as a human all the clothing she'd needed after that was an oversized t-shirt. Even after, Verayne noticed a change in her style of clothing. She wore clothes that clung to her lithe form, clothes that were easy to remove if a change came upon her.

"Yeah," Nick chuckled pulling his shirt over his head. "I've always been like this, so most of what you're finding out is what I've already gone through." He came closer to her, his lips just a breath from hers, "Open yourself up to everything around you, let it all in, and let the wolf inside you take over." Nick could feel her shudder. She was in a place where her being was appreciated and not meant to be hidden away.

"I can't wait to start learning all about my new state of being." Verayne giggled and then took Nick's hands in hers. "And I'm glad I wound up in a place where I found you." Before she could take a breath, Nick had her in his arms and he was kissing her. He lifted her up against him forcing Verayne to wrap her arms around his shoulders. She didn't want this to end, but now that Clay and Elena had scented Markson, something was bound to happen. Pulling back, getting Nick to put her on her feet. "But, I can't be happy and in one place until Markson is dead."

"If he comes here, we'll kill him under Pack Law, and his body will disappear." Nick promised. "When this guy comes after you, he'll be coming after all of us, and he's going to lose in the end." This time he hugged her hoping that she believed him. "I won't let him get within a mile of you." He promised. Never in his life had he wanted to protect someone in all of his life like he wanted to protect Verayne.

"I wish I could remember more…." Verayne sighed hugging Nick. She'd brought trouble to her new family, a family that had welcomed her with open arms. There was the hope that none of them would be injured because of her. If that happened there would be no telling the amount of guilt that would eat her alive.

"You gave us his scent, that's all we need." Nick replied before turning back in the direction of the house. They'd been out here long enough. "I swear to you, we'll kill him, and his body will never be found." He repeated with certainty in his voice, with deep conviction. There would be nothing Nick wouldn't do for Verayne. Still, Nick wasn't sure why he wanted to fiercely defend her.

From his stoic place by the window Jeremy saw Verayne and Nick immerge from the trees. His heart skipped a beat at seeing her, seeing his daughter. Now that his had this information about her, he could see how she was related to him, the way she moved, and the way she looked. With the sunshine raining down upon her, he could see the resemblance between them, and her mother. He smiled when Verayne pushed Nick while they laughed, smiling at each other. Jeremy felt a swell of paternal pride towards her, the same he felt for Clayton. Then he felt deep guilt over never knowing about her, never having a chance to know her.

Jeremy broke his stance to make his way to the front door so he could meet Nick and Verayne at the door. Clay and Elena got up away, but Jeremy heard them head up the stairs. Reaching out, he opened the front door to smile at Verayne, then he nodded to Nick to head in the direction of Clay and Elena. "Verayne, may I speak to you in the great room?"

Verayne had a moment where she wanted to decline, but there was something to the way that Jeremy asked that had her saying, "Sure. I hope it's nothing serious." She glanced over her shoulder at Nick, but he motioned for her to go with Jeremy. He didn't say anything just motioned for her to have a seat on the same couch she had woken on the day before.

Jeremy sat in the lounge chair opposite her trying to collect his thoughts. He smiled to put her at ease, but he could tell she wasn't fooled. "The man you saw here when we returned home was a lawyer we have, a fixer of sorts, and a werewolf. He found information on your mother." Verayne opened her mouth to speak with Jeremy holding up his hand to stop her. "I knew her back in the New York." He said.

Verayne felt like she had been hit by a freight train. "You knew my mother?" She asked carefully, not sure she was liking where this conversation was going. When she had been a child, she had been told very little about her mother's family, except for the cousins she knew. It wasn't until Verayne was fifteen that she even knew she had family in another part of the world, and that was because they had died and left her a vast fortune. "She never told me she lived in New York."

"Yes, but I knew her by the name Ariel Lycos." Jeremy grinned. "I was stolen by her, by her smile, her laugh, the way she the deeper meaning to my painting's." Taking the chance, hoping that she wouldn't reject him, he slid to the edge of the chair and reached out his hand to her, to his daughter. To his great relief, she took his hand. "I met her in New York, at an art gallery." He said with a gentle smile on his face.

Verayne looked at her hand in Jeremy's while trying to process what he was telling her. "What are you saying? Do you mean to tell me….?" She had the thought to take her hand back, to start pacing, to move around, but she was frozen stock still from Jeremy speaking about her mother. "She never told me about my father, not that I wanted to know at the time." Verayne mumbled averting her gaze. "I always assumed he wanted nothing to do with us." The words felt like bile rolling off her tongue. "I thought maybe he'd been married, that my mother was a distraction, and he paid her to leave town; that he didn't want her or me."

Jeremy wanted to assure Verayne that that wasn't the case, but he knew there would have been no way he could have raised her. His father wouldn't have allowed it and the Pack wouldn't have understood. "One day your mother was here and then the next she vanished." It wasn't an excuse and at the same time it wasn't an explanation. Jeremy ran his thumbs across her knuckles noticing how delicate, yet strong, her hands were. Her fingers were long and slender. They were Ariel's hands. Now that she was Pack, he could explain more about the familial situation. "The Pack raises it's sons as no daughter can carry the wolf gene naturally."

Verayne took her hands from Jeremy's. "That's your explanation?" She asked, this time she stood up and started to pace. "Because it sucks." The anger was in her tone now and she tried to call it back. She hadn't realized this wound would open with the revelation of her father. "If there had been a chance, didn't you think to try and find her?!" Verayne shouted and then clamped her mouth shut shaking her head. She fought to breathe deeply, to calm herself down. Her heart rate had already been elevated due to her run through the trees with Nick, her anger was something she didn't need to trigger her change.

Jeremy sighed knowingly. "If I had tracked you or your mother down, I would have put you at risk." He admitted wanting to impress upon her the danger of being a Danvers. "My father is a vicious man, tried to kill me a few times as a child. If he'd learned about you…" He trailed off. She came to him crouched in front of him, the anger he'd seen vanished. "Your mother running, not telling me about you; it was the safest for both of us." Reaching out, Jeremy cupped Verayne's face, his thumb caressing her cheek gently.

"Did you tell her about your father, about how dangerous he was?" Verayne asked in a roundabout way in regards to her grandfather. Already she could tell from the expression Jeremy was wearing that he wasn't a man she wanted to know.

"I did in a general way." Jeremy answered. "I hazard a guess that my warnings about my father were the reason she ran, changed her name, and hid you from me." Shaking his head, he added to impress upon her the dangerous world she had been born into, the danger from a man that was her grandfather, "Her keeping you a secret saved your life."

At the top of the stairs Nick sat trying not to listen to Jeremy and Verayne. He knew eavesdropping was wrong, but he had to be close by for Verayne; in case she needed him. It was a strange sensation that washed through Nick. Before he hadn't wanted anyone, just an endless string of lovers, having nothing but fun. Then he looked into the delicate lavender eyes of Verayne, and all that changed. He wanted to be there for her. He wanted to make sure she was safe. Nick shook his head, knowing how Clay felt everyday about Elena.

Elena watched Nick sitting on the stairs listening to Jeremy and Verayne. As silently as she could, she moved to sit next to him. "Hey, so I've guess you've heard." She muttered resting her hand on his knee. Elena still couldn't wrap her head around it, just like Jeremy, just like Clay. It had to be doubly confusing for Nick because he was falling in love with the young female wolf. Elena finally had her place; it had been a hard battle. Some days she still hated what she was. She hoped Verayne melded into the pack better than she had in the beginning.

"I should have seen it." Nick whispered. "She has that look that Jeremy has, the one that is pure gentleness." He leaned into Elena like a brother would his sister, and rested his head against hers. "I mean it's all there. She even looks like him." Maybe her relation to Jeremy was the reason Nick wanted to keep her as safe as he could. He doubted it though. She was soft and warm. She was wild and gentle. Everything about her called to Nick so much so that he would do anything for her.

"Yeah, she does." Elena agreed settling further into Nick's side. "She finally found her way here, she found you, and Jeremy knows that he has a child and his line is secure within his daughter as well as his son." The Pack at Stonehaven would continue to endure with Jeremy, Clay, Nick, her, and Verayne. They would be the envy of the other Pack families. That alone would bring its own source of problems later on down the road.

Down in the den Verayne sat on the edge of the coffee table looking at the man claiming to be her father. She could see it now, still not quite believing it. The way he sat back in the chair mirrored the way she sat. Jeremy started out with his left leg crossed over his right; like her. The light auburn of his hair matched hers even when she had sun lights; gentle golden strands woven through her hair. Setting aside the fact that the universe brought her to this place she asked, "How long were you two together?"

Jeremy smiled, "We were together for two months after I met her in an art gallery in Soho. One day she was just there arguing with another dealer over a painting, I forget the artist, but she was so passionate…" He looked at Verayne this time, "I think that's what drew me the most." Jeremy sat back gripping the arms of the chair. "She wore this lavender skit, long and flowing, with a white tunic top and her dark hair was pulled into a braid. I can even remember the scent of her under the all the paint; roses." A smile stayed on his lips as he was taken back to that moment. "I walked in, going to discuss the sale of my first painting, after I saw her, it was all forgotten."

"Why'd she leave?" Verayne asked rubbing her hands together to try and get the blood flowing to bring back some of the warmth. There was so much she didn't know about him, about the life she was now living that was directly linked to her past. She came from a long line of werewolves through her father.

"I don't know," Jeremy answered. "One evening we were supposed to have dinner, and she never showed up. I thought she'd been sick, so I went to her apartment only to find the door ajar and her clothes gone." That was the night he'd returned to Stonehaven. Jeremy covered up the fact that he had been dating, sleeping with a gorgeous woman knowing that her father would have used it against him. Now he knew it'd been smart to leave Ariel in the wind, with a child that Malcolm would have killed.

"Did you love her?" Verayne asked softly. She had always had this image of her mother living without a man she had loved who hadn't loved her in return. Then there was Jeremy, alive and breathing, in front of her telling her that he was her father.

"Very much," Jeremy answered slipping to the edge of the chair so he could take her hands once more. "I want to get to know you, to know about where you lived, where you went to school." He brought her hands up kissing her knuckles. "I want to make up for every moment I wasn't there." Keeping hold of her Verayne's hands, Jeremy stood up, and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly reassuring her that he was here and he wasn't going to go anywhere.

At first Verayne didn't know how to react, then she melded seamlessly in with all of them, and now she was back to feeling awkward with them. Tentatively, she wrapped her arms around him in return, held him, and then she tightened her hold. The wound in her heart, of being ignored by the father she'd never known, had opened, and then closed. "I want the same thing." Verayne admitted with tears in her eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Summary: Elena thought she was the only female werewolf, until Nick finds another in the woods around Stonehaven.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of **BITTEN**

Rating: T+

**ANOTHER BITTEN:**

The night air whispered through the trees on the Stonehaven estate with a crescent moon hanging in the heavens supported by nimble clouds. Verayne stood in her room, by the open window, marveling at the sight of her new home. She was still trying to process all of what Jeremy had told her, of his admittance to being her father. Some of the information was hard to digest; her mother living in New York, working at an art gallery, and her running away. Her mother never ran from anything. She would have stood her ground no matter what. Maybe that was just who she had become after making the wrong choice. How was she to know? Verayne had a happy childhood. Her mother taught at the local college; art history. Nothing in her past indicated that her mother regretted anything. The roller coaster ride of her life just sped up.

"Still trying to wrap your mind around this, little wolf?" Clay made himself known to her, his sister. He still couldn't believe it, he had a sister. She turned to him, a light smile on her lips; it was one that Jeremy would wear when he had nothing to say in the moment. Turning her back to him she resumed her former stance of looking out the window. Clay chuckled. She was definitely Jeremy's daughter, there was no denying that. Taking a few steps into the room that used to belong to Elena, he stood behind her. "I know everyone is telling you that you're safe here, but you have to believe that when you're ready." Slowly, tentatively, he reached out placing his hand on her shoulder. In a wolf pack, wolves were a close knit group. They were always together, always touching for reassurance. Clay could sense that Verayne was unsteady.

"I know, and I'm trying," Verayne sighed again smiling lightly at the brotherly touch of Clay's hand on her shoulder. "There's something, some little voice that's warning me not to disappoint him." Did she mean Jeremy or did she mean Nick? Was she better off leaving in the middle of the night, finding Markson, and killing him before going back into hiding? She didn't have an answer to that though. "Do I stay, possibly risking everything here, or do I go?" Once again, she looked away, looked at Clay, searching his eyes for the answers she needed. "I… don't know…"

"This place only stays safe when we're united." Clay knew he didn't have the answer that she wanted. "The pack is yours protection and you ours." He added. "Little one, we will not let anything happen to you." It was the same thing everyone was telling her, but Clay told her again. She needed to be reassured that she was going to be safe. As his words sank in, through the open window, they both caught a scent. "Blood."

Downstairs, Nick had just set foot on the bottom step when the scent of fresh blood caught his attention. Going to the front door he breathed in telling that the blood wasn't human, it belonged to a chicken. Wrenching the door open the sight that greeted him made him growl in anger. A box of white roses were on the porch painted in chicken blood while the stems were wrapped in the entrails and bloody feathers. There was even a letter addressed to Verayne with the sickly sweet smell clinging to the paper. "Son of a bitch." Nick growled again when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs behind him.

"What is it?" Clay asked closing the distance between him and Nick.

"It was him…" Verayne looked down at the box of bloody flowers and then at Nick. "No…" She started to shake her head, to back away when Nick's arms came around her. "I'm sorry…"

"It's not your fault." Nick held her, turned her from the sight of the mess. "It's not your fault." He repeated hoping she would believe him.

"Get her up stairs and I'll take care of this." Clay ordered softly.

Nick nodded pulling Verayne with him as he headed for the stairs. To make traversing the steps easier, he picked Verayne up while whispering, "Don't look." On the second floor landing Nick came face to face with Jeremy and Elena. He jerked his head back down to where Clay was without saying anything. Jeremy nodded, motioning for Elena to head down stairs. "I'll stay with her." Nick said, again Jeremy nodded, and then he too rand own the steps. He tightened his hold on Verayne continuing to carry her to her room. Once inside he covered the distance to the bed and gently set her down.

Verayne felt the fur touch her body as Nick set her down, but her arms refused to unlock from his shoulders. "Don't go…" Nick smiled gently at her, kissed her forehead, and untangled her arms from around his shoulders. He was silently telling her to give him a second. Verayne sat up, watching him close the window, close the bedroom door, and then come back to stand at the foot of her bed where he removed his shoes as he pulled off his shirt. Before climbing on the bed, he picked up the stuffed wolf he'd left for her that morning. Verayne chuckled despite what was happening. He handed her the wolf before crawling on the bed, molding to her back. The warmth of him invaded her, heated the coldness inside to dispel the dread. "I can't believe this, I just freaked out."

Nick hugged her, burying his nose in her mane of hair. He breathed her in before saying, "That man made you fear him, fear for your life, that doesn't just go away." He held her tighter, trying to reassure her even more. "You were on the run for two years, all that time you feared for your life. There wasn't any time to try and move beyond being a captive, knowing that you would have died." Nick knew that Verayne knew all of what he was saying was true.

"I know I could kill this guy," Verayne whispered. "I could track him down, hunt him, and I could kill him as a wolf," her voice shook with her words, "but just thinking about him scares me to death." She rolled over, clutching the stuffed wolf close to her, and faced Nick. "I have never been this terrified, ever." Knowing that Nick wouldn't judge her, see her as acting weak, she scooted closer to him snuggling the wolf between them. "I know it's not my fault, but I still feel guilty for bringing this to your door."

Downstairs, Clay toed the blood filled box of roses off the single step stone porch with the toes of his boot while curling his lip in disgust. "This guy is demented." He snarled when Elena came up to his life. She stopped him from moving the box too far out of reach. He watched her grab the note and shrug for him to continue. "What do you want that for darling?" Clay asked.

"His scent is all over it. I can use it to track him." Elena answered bringing the envelope close to her face. Against her better judgment, and that of her wolf, she inhaled forcing herself not to be sick in response. "This guy is dying." She announced when Jeremy joined them. Elena handed her alpha the envelope and continued, "The sickly smell Verayne told us about, this guy is rotting from the inside."

Jeremy growled in disgust at the scent wafting from the faded yellowed paper. He ripped it open and read the simple message written in the chicken's blood. "It would seem this man is determined to finish what he started." With another growl he crumpled the note and tossed it away. "Clay, Elena, I would like it if you two patrolled through the property parallel to the road. This individual can't be far."

"And if we catch him, what then?" Elena asked knowing full well the severity of pack law. The man would die. It was as simple as that.

"You bring him back to Stonehaven, we lock him in the cell, and we let Verayne see him die; slowly and painfully." Jeremy answered. "It's the only way for her to move on from what he did to her." To quell the coming argument he and Elena usually had, Jeremy turned and walked back inside.

Clay grabbed Elena's arm knowing that she was going to follow Jeremy inside and argue with him, "I'll track in wolf form if you guide me while remaining human." He knew, even after she made the choice to fully embrace pack life, that Elena still hated to turn.

Elena's defiance died at Clay's muttered words to her. "Ok," She nodded letting him pull her away from the front door. They walked together towards the tree line. The wind kicked up carrying the scent of the estate to Elena where she searched for the scent she wanted. And then she found the one they needed. Without words, Clay was silently signaled that he could change. Elena took pleasure in watching her lover, mate, husband, taking off his shirt, kicking off his boots, and shucking his pants. "I caught his scent." She said and he nodded before letting the change start.

Inside, Jeremy went up the stairs with his intention being to check on Verayne. When he came to her door, he heard her voice and the voice belonging to Nick. Jeremy should have known that the young Sorrentino would already be there. Nick was reassuring Verayne that nothing would happen to her, that no matter what she was going to be safe. Those were supposed to be the words that came from him and at the same time he was happy that Nick was the one to say them. They were more than a pack, they were all family. Lightly he knocked on the door waiting for a response. Next thing Jeremy knew, the door was opening with Verayne appearing. Where he thought that he would see the lingering traces of fear, he was pleasantly surprised to see relief. "I wanted to check on you."

"I'm ok…" Verayne nodded, taking a deep breath and then she added, "I was pretty shaken to know he was actually at the front door, but…." She pulled the door open farther and just wrapped her arms around him, pillowing her head on his chest. Jeremy wrapped his arms around her in return centering her in this place, in this family.

"You'll feel better when we catch this monster, when he's locked in a cage, and on his last breath." Jeremy promised tightening his grip marginally resting his chin atop her head. "I promise you that he will pay for this." Looking in the room he set his eyes on Nick, who was gracious enough to stand by the dresser drawers under the window. "Clay and Elena are tracking your tormentor."

Verayne pulled back, "What are they going to do with him?" She asked.

"They're going to bring him here so you may decide his fate." Jeremy answered seeing the denial rising in her gaze. "You can do this. You can beat him."

"I honestly don't know what I'll do when face to face with that monster." Verayne replied.

"Whatever happens, we're all here for you." Nick said moving from the window, to stand behind Verayne while keeping his eyes on Jeremy.

"You'll never be alone again." Jeremy leaned in and kissed Verayne on her forehead like the father he was. Then, even knowing how cliché it sounded in his head, he added, "It's been a long day and we all need…"

"To get some sleep?" Verayne chuckled. "I'm a bit on the adult side to have a bedtime." She was touched that he was thinking of her like that, of treating her like his daughter even though he'd just found out about her today. More points in Jeremy's favor was that he'd told her almost immediately after he himself had found out.

Jeremy chuckled as well, "Yeah, not very original…" This should have been easier for him, seeing as he had been a father to Clayton, a child survivor of the bite. Then again, he'd had the chance to raise his son, not his daughter.

"But you're right." Verayne said with a sigh. "It certainly has been a day full of surprises." When her father was about to turn away, she stopped him by grabbing his arm, "Jeremy, goodnight." She smiled warmly at the man who was her father.

**MORNING AT STONEHAVEN:**

Nick was the last to rise when a curious scent wafted round it. It was subtle and barely there, but it lingered and mixed with the scent he associated with Verayne. Wolves knew not to wear perfume or anything like that where the scent could kill the olfactory senses. Climbing out of the bed he left the room following the scent he couldn't name down stairs to where everyone was gathered around the table while Clay was at the grill. Not too long ago his father Antonio would have been cooking, laughing, and telling everyone to sit down. A familiar ache settled in his heart. It was the pain of missing his father. But a smile lit his face when he saw Verayne sitting to Jeremy's right at the table. It was good to see her assimilating into the pack. Nick could almost be fooled into believing that she had been here all along. Then he made himself known. "Decided not to wake me?" He teased her taking the seat on her right.

Verayne looked up when Nick sat down and without missing a beat she replied, "You looked so cute sound asleep that I didn't want to wake you." She draped her arm across his shoulders and gave him a sideways hug. "Besides, at one point you were cuddling with my stuffed wolf." Nick gave her a mock horrified look and then rolled his eyes. "I have a picture." Verayne goaded. He looked at her, this time with shock on his face as if he was embarrassing to be caught in such a manner. She tested his scent to find that he was enjoying the way she was teasing him.

"You're going to delete it." Nick ordered, playfully, and for a split second he looked to Jeremy where he winked letting his alpha know that it was only a game. Looking back to Verayne, she was biting her bottom lip and shaking her head 'no'. Nick growled at her saying again. "Delete it." This time she laughed as she shook her head no. He lunged for her, but Verayne made it out of her seat. She was running from the kitchen with Nick hot on her tail.

Verayne squealed playfully fleeing from the kitchen, laughing and making sure that nick could keep pace with her. She was going to let him catch her, and he did just that. Nick's hand wrapped around her wrist, pulling her to a stop, turning her, and before she knew it Nick was picking her up and tossing her over his left shoulder. "Nick!" Verayne laughed. "Put me down!" Playfully she kicked her legs back and forth, but his hold upon her was firm. "Come on Nick!" She tried again unable to stop laughing while he carried her back to the kitchen.

"Are you going to delete the picture?" Nick asked, amusement ringing in his voice. He was enjoying this. Jeremy was shaking his head at them, a smile upon his face. Elena was chuckling, and Clay was trying to ignore them as he finished cooking the large breakfast that would all be gone by the time they were finished eating.

"No!" Verayne answered him still unable to let the laughter die. Gently she sank her nails into the flesh of his lower back. Nick responded by smacking her on the rear end, calling her bad. "Put me down!" Again she sank her nails into Nick and this time he did as she asked. She was standing in front of him, pressed tightly together; chest to chest, hip to hip. "I'm not deleting it." Verayne stated.

"Oh," Nick scoffed teasingly, "You'll delete it." He was confident as they sat down once more. The long wooden table, where Nick had to force himself to sit, was filled with food making the wolf inside of him ravenous.

Rolling her eyes at Nick, Verayne then set her gaze to Elena asking, "Did you find him last night?" she didn't want to know the answer, and at the same time she was desperate to put everything behind her. "Elena, please…?" What was she pleading for?

"After breakfast, we'll talk about it." Elena said glancing at Jeremy knowing that she was giving the right answer. "Believe me, you'll want to wait and have a good breakfast."

Verayne grinned, "As long as there's plenty of coffee." Secretly she was grateful that Elena hadn't told her anything about the hunt she and Clay had been on last night. Everyone at the table had been so nice to her, welcoming and warm; Verayne wasn't sure how she could ever repay this amount of kindness.

After breakfast the pack cleared the table, did the dishes, and then adjourned to the sitting room. Jeremy knew it had been very late when Clay and Elena had returned with the intended prize; Verayne tormentor in chains. Even as he was proud of his son, there was this lingering feeling that all was not finished for Verayne; that something else was coming her way. His daughter sat on the couch with Nick at her side, her right leg bouncing up and down as they waited for Clay and Elena to finish up in the kitchen.

Nick took Verayne's hand, bringing it up to his nose so he could inhale the subtle scent that had been lingering about her all morning. "What is that scent?" He asked when she gave him a curious look. "I woke up to that smell."

"Is it bad?" Verayne asked in return. "It's nothing, just a body veil." Then she looked at Jeremy, "Was that bad?"

"No, just not advised." Jeremy answered. "Wolves rely on their nose to track, as werewolves our olfactory senses are more powerful than humans. Perfumes and lotions make us more human in that regard."

"I don't notice the difference." Verayne shrugged. "I can still separate all the scents that are around me, but if I should stop…"

"No, it's light enough that it won't harm your senses." Jeremy said and saw relief in her gaze. He could tell that she'd given up enough in her life. She nodded at him and then looked up. Clay and Elena had come into the room.

Clay left Elena's side, going to stand before Verayne. He took her hand from Nick, pulling her up from the couch, "Come on little wolf, time to face the devil." Her hand clenched on his in response, but she didn't fight against him. Nick was the only one to follow them. Jeremy remained in his seat, while Elena moved to sit on the couch. This was something that Verayne had to do; her father couldn't be there to protect her. She had to face her demons to begin to heal. Clay and Nick would be there, just inside the room, but they would be there.


End file.
